Disgraced Spanish Football Federation boss Rubiales returns to Spain

Release time：2024-05-17 20:17:28 Source：International Interface news portal

The former president of the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), Luis Rubiales returned to Spain on Wednesday in the middle of crisis in the institution.

He arrived at Madrid's Adolfo Suarez-Barajas airport at around 11.00 hours C.E.T (10.00 GMT) and was detained by a unit of Spanish Civil Guards on the tarmac.

He was informed that he will be facing corruption charges and released pending trial, after a judge considered he would not attempt to flee justice.

Rubiales travelled from the Dominican Republic where he had been staying on March 20th when police searched the RFEF offices outside of Madrid, along with several other properties (including Rubiales' office in Granada).

The searches were part of 'Operation Brody', which is looking into possible corruption surrounding the agreements which have seen the Spanish Supercup played in Saudi Arabia since 2020, and the Estadio de la Cartuja in Seville used as the venue for the Copa del Rey final and a host of international games for the Spanish men's and women's teams.

The police made seven arrests on March 20, with Rubiales escaping detention due to not being in Spain at the time.

Before returning to Spain, Rubiales gave an interview to Spanish TV network, 'La Sexta' in which he denied the allegations that he had used money gained through illegal commissions to buy flats and a baseball team in the Dominican Republic and was involved in construction projects in the Cape Verde Islands and Saudi Arabia.

"Affirmations made in the media and the money I have in my bank accounts have nothing to do with each other. The money in my accounts is the product of my work and my savings," he insisted.

The disgraced RFEF president also faces a possible prison sentence of up to two and a half years for the unsolicited kiss on Spain forward Jenni Hermoso following Spain's win in the Women's World Cup last August, along with subsequent attempts to pressure her into dropping the allegations.

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